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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. hand — help
  4. firm — a company
  5. face — part of the head
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. hand — in cards
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. chip — to eat
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — to point toward
  13. rest — a break
  14. staff — employees
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. firm — decided
  17. rest — what's left
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. staff — employees
  21. chip — for betting
  22. staff — a stick
  23. rest — what's left
  24. firm — steady

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com